This post talks about how I modeled small street props like benches, tables, flower beds, vending machines, and much more.

These assets have been mainly used to create small plazas in the lobby.

Here is an example of a plaza I designed.

Here are some screenshots of the assets used…

Here are some of the most valuable tips I can give on modeling small street props:

• Avoid overly complex geometry. In most games players aren’t fixating on small props, so you don’t need to overcomplicate them.
• Design repeatable meshes. Most meshes should have a simple design so that they can be easily repeated throughout a large level.
• Avoid using high resolution textures and complex materials. Most props are designed to serve as background elements not statement pieces.
• Use Culling and LODs. Most meshes do not need to be rendered at all times, so unloading meshes the player can’t see can improve performance. (Unreal Engine can do this automatically!)
• Optimize as you go. Avoid overly dense geometry as this can drastically impact performance.

All these tips will be addressed in the video below.

Insert video here.

Again, I am still learning, this is just what has helped me. If anybody has any feedback, reply below.